By Fatou Bojang
The Gambia Press Union hosted a Day-long Policy Dialogue on the effective implementation of the ATI Act, involving 50 key stakeholders from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector at Bakadaji Hotel. The event aimed to foster interaction, gather expectations for the ATI, and develop key policy recommendations for the government’s implementation plan.
After the 2016 government change in Gambia, interest in access to information grew, driven by a five-year campaign by the GPU. This led to the creation of the CSO coalition on Access to Information, which pushed for an Access to Information (ATI) bill.
However, the National Assembly passed the legislation in July 2021, and the President signed it into law. This law gave citizens the right to access information from government and private entities, but its success depends on how well it’s implemented.
President of GPU said although the Information Commission has been appointed and the ATI law was enacted in 2021, but there have been delays in public institutions submitting their implementation plans. With the third year approaching, public officials are urged to act promptly and prepare their plans to facilitate the Commission’s work effectively.
He highlighted that there are sentiments of skepticism regarding the law’s implementation, but the establishment of the Commission was viewed as a positive step. It was crucial for all citizens, including non-Gambians, to recognize the law’s significance and the Commission’s purpose and that AIT is the right of everyone, not just journalists.
